Haffina Creations

A Crossroad, of sorts.

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 12:47:00 +0000

In 2009 I joined a new and exciting online selling platform. ArtFire was in its infancy, all shiny and new with bugs hiding in every corner. Those of us that joined in the first year of ArtFire (which began in 2008) were clearly told there would be issues, and strife, and that actually selling anything would be a bonus. The Charter Artisans spent a lot of time promoting ArtFire, driving traffic and bringing in new sellers, as well as assisting ArtFire staff with 'bug catching'.

Many of us built up quite a rapport with ArtFire John (aka John Jacobs) and Tony Ford (the marketing face of AF). We felt we were listened to, and that our opinions, thoughts, experiences and feelings actually made a difference, that we were part of a growing community. Ideas were brought up, thrashed out, disposed or implemented and rarely was anyone made to feel unwelcome, stupid or annoying.

As an 'International' I felt welcomed, included and valued.

Then something changed.

Instead of a differing opinion being sort, listened to and considered, it was rejected as 'troublemaking', 'whining' or 'bitching'. International sellers felt themselves being pushed further into the shadows, and being told 'you are a minority, deal with it'. When you had an issue you were told it wasn't a bug of the site, but user error. If your buyers couldn't check out it was an issue with the buyer, not ArtFire and too bad.

Decisions made by ArtFire admin no longer went via the community, but instead were made behind closed door then paraded in the forums as 'just an idea', when in reality they had already decided and begun implementing them.

Decisions and changes were made, which is to be expected, but not changes that moved ArtFire further and further away from its original mission. They made a big noise when they started that they would not be like other online selling venues, that they would always listen and value the sellers. Their stated goal was to help handmade sellers reach their audience and sell to it. The goal now seems to be to make ArtFire a big name on the backs of those sellers, and to make money doing so.

I understand it is a business, really I do. And I will forever be grateful for the education I have received, and the amazing artisans I have had the pleasure to get to know and count amongst my friends. But I am a business too, and my business ethos no longer runs parallel to that of the new ArtFire.

I have been loyal to ArtFire since the day I joined, often defending it to those who would cut it down, promoting its sellers across my network, regularly buying there as well. I have given a lot to ArtFire, and in some ways it feels like a member of the family. But as with some relatives there comes a time when you need to step back from them.

There is no one thing that has lead me to this decision, but many small things that have built up over time and culminated with many of my dearest friends being told by Tony to 'deal with it or leave'. These weren't new sellers, these are people who have invested a lot of time and money in ArtFire since the beginning. They were demeaned, hounded and ridiculed by ArtFire members and called a 'whining mob' and 'troublemakers'. The same people who helped ArtFire in its infancy, who worked their arses off for the site were suddenly considered nothing but a nuisance.

So, we come to my crossroad. Do I throw away all that I have invested? Or do I hang in there and hope things improve? Well, actually I will do both. I have 4 stores on ArtFire, and two have already been downgraded to 'buyer' accounts which will become effective in the new year (Haffina's Hoard and Haffina's Minis.) BeadsByHaffina will close at the end of January. HaffinaCreations will remain, but will be smaller.. all the current stock will be gone. And then I will see.

I love the people I have met because of ArtFire, and the things I have learnt, especially from Tony, Kyle, Vanessa, John and other staff members. But I am not sure I can ever truly forgive the discarding of long term valued members and their opinions.

Are we getting it wrong?

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 21:12:00 +0000

Many years ago, when I was a fair bit younger, both in age and outlook, I started writing these pages on different topics. My intent was to make it into a book at some point. Looking back on many of them I get a good laugh at how much I've changed in some areas, and how little in others.
One of these 'articles' drew my attention whilst shuffling through papers the other day, and I thought I would share it, and the thoughts it evoked.

Who'd want to be an adult if they really knew what it entailed. Working, budgeting, debt, worry. I mean, if you take a pessimistic look at adulthood there's not much going for it. Divorce, difficult children, major illness, death.
But as with all things there is a bright side, no matter how small it might appear to be. Marriage, babies, fulfillment, retirement, death.
Now some may wonder how death made both lists. Well, whilst some hate the idea of dying, for some it comes as a blessed relief.
But really, being an adult isn't as great as kids and teens think. And let's face it, for most people it is the longest phase of our lives. For instance, the average life span is what, 85 years?. And if legally you become an adult at 18, you're an adult for around 67 years. Now that is nearly 6 times as long as childhood (12 years) and by our previous aging, you're only a teen for 5 years (13 - 18).

Not my greatest literary effort, but it does raise a good point.
We are children for such a sort phase of our lives, and you can't ever go back. So why are we pushing kids so hard to 'grow up'? Why are we putting so much pressure on them so early in their lives? There is plenty of time for them to be adults when they are adults. Why not just let them enjoy those few precious years without stress and pressure, without expectations? Maybe the world would be a better place if we didn't try to make our kids into adults before they really are.

Chocolate and Orange .. yum

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 07:37:00 +0000

In recent times I returned to Etsy, but instead of my usual jewellery items, I have opened up a miniatures store instead. So Haffina's Minis is now on Etsy as well as ArtFire. To celebrate my return to Etsy I decided to do up a little Treasury with one of my favourite themes.. Chocolate and Orange! Need a tissue to wipe away the drool!

A post..

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 10:17:00 +0000

My blog, and myself, have been very quiet of late. This is not because I have nothing to blog about.. there is always something interesting happening in the handmade world. This is because of the black cloud that creeps up on me and makes a mockery of my normally optimistic and bubbly personality.
I have suffered from depression for as long as I can remember. Sometimes it goes into a state of remission, with only the memory of the misery lurking on the periphery. Other times it invades my mind, my soul, removing the colour and life from every moment.
For many years I denied there was a problem. And then one day I wanted to kill myself. Not the same feeling that led to several vague attempts at overdosing previously.. this was different.... this was scary. Some deep seated kernel of survival kicked and I finally admitted I needed help.
It didn't end though.. that event was 17 years ago.. almost to the day.
Over the intervening years I have had various counselling sessions, some more successful than others. And every time they would come to an end with something like 'well you seem fine now'. And I would feel fine. For a while. But not once would I let them medicate me. I guess it was still a form of denial. Taking pills would really mark me as a loony case.
Even when my 'normal' depression was exacerbated by Post Natal Depression I refused to do anything but talk to a counsellor. I firmly believed that one should deal with the cause, not hide it.
A couple of years ago I fell in a hole... a big black hole. I was struggling to cope with everything happening in my life. I had forgotten how to say 'No', and ended up piling one thing on top of another.
I started to think about suicide again.
My mind set had changed though. I had 5 kids, one of them only a couple of years old. I also had a fledgling business. I needed to be able to function.
I went to my doctor, I burst into tears before I even sat down. I fell apart in her office. When she suggested antidepressants I said ok. I realised that I needed more than just talking. Don't get me wrong, I still sorted out therapy too. A year later my counselling ran out (free counselling is limited.) I felt ok, things weren't less stressful, but I felt better able to cope.
Then my best friend died. My son's friend committed suicide. A crafty friend was murdered. A long time family friend died of cancer. One of my former doctor's committed suicide. One of our dogs had to be put down. All in a really short space of time.
No amount of drugs or therapy is going to make that go away. I have spent the best part of 12 months walking around in a fog. At the centre was the death of my best friend.
Just as I was clearing the fog my best online friend lost her sister and another crafty friend died in tragic circumstances. My old self just tried to block the pain, pretend it wasn't happening. I plowed on.. I even had new counselling set up, was still medicated.
About three weeks ago.. maybe a month... I just wanted out. I very nearly closed my business, almost deleted all my online accounts, seriously considered just 'vanishing'. Instead I 'disconnected'. I stopped being so active, was a lot less social. I hid and licked my wounds.
I'm not back yet. I'm working on it. The last two years have been the most emotionally exhausting, gut wrenching and difficult years I can remember... and that is coming from a child abuse survivor.
I doubt I will ever be back to the me of early 2010.. and I still don't quite know what the 'new' me will be. All I can do is take each day as it comes and see where it leads me.

Handcrafted Everyone

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 03:08:00 +0000

The handmade artisan from the Handmade Artists' Forum that I am going to feature today I have featured in the past, TRusk4U.
I always enjoy revisiting past featured artisans, it is interesting to see how things have progressed for them, what new creations they have.
Since I last visited Teresa she has introduced some new lines to her online stores. Not only does she have her outstanding jewellery creations, she now has hand turned pens, keyrings and shaving sets in her HAF shop.

You will see some great new pieces on her Etsy as well.

Teresa also has a great blog, and you can 'like' her on her Facebook fanpage as well!

Ambience and Aroma

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 07:59:00 +0000

This week I am revisiting an online vendor I have shared with a couple of times in the past. Because I have shared them before I thought I would focus on just one area for this post.
The handmade vendor I am referring to is Reef Botanicals, which is the baby of Larissa and Eric. Larissa is very active on the Handmade Artists' Forum, as well as being very active offline as well in her job as a lawyer.
Reef Botanicals brings you wonderful handmade bath and beauty products, such as soaps and scrubs. In this post though I am going to be looking at one of their newer lines.. candles.
There is something about candles, with their soft flickering light, that lends a lovely ambience to any room. When you add to this an amazing fragrance you create an inviting and enjoyable environment. Reef Botanicals create candles with sensational fragrances designed to create specific moods.

Home for the Holidays - evokes memories of pine trees, cookies and candy canes with their amazing fragrance and their rustic red and green colour.

Autumn Harvest - Apples, pears, plums, nuts and cinnamon... the wonderful scents of an abundant harvest come together in these gorgeous mottled red candles.

Chocolate Decadence - The mouthwatering scent of chocolate fudge, with a hint of vanilla and hazelnut, evocative of warm brownies... only you can't eat it!

This is just a small sample of the wonderful candles available at Reef Botanicals. I'd show you more, but then you'd have less reason to wander around their online stores yourself ;)

You can find Reef Botanicals on the Handmade Artists' Shop, as well as their own website. Larissa also maintains a great blog.

Hope for the Future

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sat, 06 Aug 2011 04:11:00 +0000

I am back to introduce you all to a wonderful handmade artisan, Lisa, the creativity behind Speranza Jewelry. Speranza means hope in Italian, and Lisa feels that jewellery gives us hope for the future.
When she is not creating she is immersed in the hurdy gurdy that is Washington, D.C, with its constant political rhetoric. She works for a Television News agency, so you can imagine the pressure she faces. So to relax and recharge she communes with wire and gems to produce beautiful jewellery creations.
In this post I am going to focus on her earrings, I have a thing for earrings.

Something for everyone and any occasion!
So where can you find Speranza Jewelry? Well, she has shops on ArtFire and Etsy, as well as a fabulous blog. Take a look yourself and be impressed!

Promoting the Promoter

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 06:33:00 +0000

In this blog post I get to talk about one of my favourite Handmade people. I get to talk about a lady who gives a lot of her time and energy to the promotion of Handmade, as well as being an incredible artist herself.

Kimberley Kitchen, sometimes known as Makin' The Best of It, is one half of the incredible duo behind the Handmade Artists' Forum and Shop. This is a lady with an immense amount of talent. Not only does she handpaint glasses and framed wedding invititations, she also makes chainmaille. That's right, those wonderful intricate weavings of little rings of metal in to wearable pieces of art.

The focus of this blog post is Chainmaille by MBOI (Makin' the Best Of It - see). Let's be clear, there is a duo here, Kimberley and Andrew, but let's focus on Kimberley (Andrew doesn't need anything to swell his head more :P) This lovely lady makes some amazing pieces of chainmaille jewellery, and if she likes a weave but doesn't know how to make it she will learn it. And one of the things I love the most is that in most of her pieces she let's the chainmaille do the talking, instead of overwhelming it with lots of beads or focals. Whilst there is nothing wrong with adding beads, it is also great to see someone focus on the beauty of chainmaille by itself.

I'm going to stop talking now, and let you see more of her work (and Andrew's :D) Oh and you need to click this link to ChainmaillebyMBOI ... because that's where the good stuff is!

I want to take this opportunity to thank Kimberley and Andrew for all their support in the time we have known each other. I am honoured to count you amongst my friends.

Feature Artisan - Alchemy Atelier

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 06:09:00 +0000

The Handmade Artists' Forum has started a new blogring and once again I have stepped into the breach. So hang on to your seats whilst I take you for a whirlwind journey through the studios of various handmade artisans.

This week we are going to meet Alchemy Atelier. The creative goddess behind Alchemy Atelier is Shannamarie, who confesses to being a crafting addict since childhood. At that time her focus was more on sewing, including Barbie clothes (Barbie fan over here).

These days her attention has shifted towards jewellery, and she has a preference for earrings (hey me too!). A little trip into her Artfire studio will also show you she makes very nice rings. Let me show you a few things...

But what does a jewellery maker do when they are not feeling in a jewellery state of mind? Well this particular artisan pulls out fibre or yarn and makes needle felted poppets or amigurumi toys.

I always enjoy meeting new artisans who suffer from Craft ADHD like I do!
So, lovely readers, drop by Alchemy Atelier on ArtFire and check out the goodies Shannamarie has been making! And take a peek at her blog as well for some interesting and illuminating posts.

Im in a new collection!

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sat, 02 Jul 2011 00:45:00 +0000

A Christmas in July Christmas

Curated By: KathyJoKreati...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Soap

Great American Backyard Campout

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000

June 25th is the Great American Backyard Campout!

Backyard Campout

Curated By: HaffinaCreati...

ArtFire.com

Vintage Fashion

Summer and Winter Solstice

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Tue, 21 Jun 2011 07:01:00 +0000

I have heard a lot recently online about the Summer Solstice - the longest 'day' of the year. And this is true for the Northern Hemisphere. But down here in the Southern Hemispere it is the Winter Solstice - the shortest 'day' of the year. So in honour of these seasonal events here are two collections of items from ArtFire.. one for the Summer Solstice and one for the Winter Solstice.

Litha/Summer Solstice

Curated By: HaffinaCreati...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

Winter Solstice

Curated By: HaffinaCreati...

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

Monday Mutter - June 20

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Welcome to a new weekly feature on HaffinaCreations blogspot. I call it the Monday Mutter. Basically this is an open blog post where I can ramble about anything I want to ramble about. Most likely it will be me ranting about something that bugs me! LOL
So let's get to it.

Recently I saw an online seller post that they were 'selling free shipping'. How the heck do you sell something for free? It makes all my spidey senses go completely haywire. So let's get this straight - if it is free you are giving it away, not selling it! To sell something it has to have a cost. Free is not a cost.. it is the absence of a cost.
I also saw someone with a computer program they were giving away for practically free. First of all, it is either free or it isn't. There is no practically free. That would be like being a little bit pregnant (either you are pregnant or you are not pregnant). So if you are giving it away, then it is free, and you wouldn't need to state that it was free. Putting the words 'practically free' would suggest there is in fact a cost, because practically used in this fashion means 'almost, nearly' and there is no 'nearly free'. Either it is free or it isn't. So if there is in fact a cost involved, no matter how small, then you are NOT giving it away!

Ok, so maybe I am super duper picky about language at times, but frankly tactics like these look scammy. They make my scam radar play 'Ode to Joy'. They make me not click your link, no matter what it is you are selling, or giving away. Pity, it might have been something I really needed.

Have a great Monday!

For the Lads

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 17 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000

For the Lads

Curated By: HaffinaCreati...

ArtFire.com

Fine Art Photography

Listen up Fellas!

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 06:03:00 +0000

This week is Men's Health Week, and this blog post is directed to all the fellows out there, and the people who love them.
One thing I have noticed about males that I know is that they are reluctant to seek help when things aren't 'right'. They have this 'she'll be right mate' attitude to their health. The fact is though, it won't be.. without care and attention.
So from me, a woman, comes these things for you men out there to consider.

1) Beer bellies are not attractive, unless you are Santa Claus. They are also a health issue. The amount of strain all that extra weight places not only on your heart but also on your back. And we all know back pain is well.. a pain.

2) Chest pain is not normal. It may not be a heart attack, but it could indicate some other problems. Do you really want to find out when you end up in hospital? Seriously, go see a doctor.. it is much less painful that way, both to you and your family.

3) Men get depression too. Yes fellas, you can get depression, and you can get it treated. But not if you ignore your feelings. I know, I know, women are always harping about feelings.. but guess what? Men are humans, humans have emotions.. time to accept it. If you are feeling low, sad, or like you do not want to deal with life anymore.. go and see a doctor, a counsellor, someone who can help you. Do not believe you can fix it all yourself, because in all likelihood you can't... no man is an island.

4) Have regular check ups, including the yucky, totally invasive tests. Many 'problems' can be fixed or at least managed effectively IF you get on to them quickly.

5) Do not ignore 'annoying' little issues. Waterworks issues? See a doctor. Impotence? See a doctor. Many times these problems can be fixed quickly and effectively when dealt with promptly. They are not an indicator of weakness, or lack of manliness.

6) If you are diagnosed with a condition, listen to the advice given by medical professionals. If they tell you to lose weight.. there is a reason. If they tell you to alter your diet.. there is a reason. If they tell you to cut back on alcohol.. there is a reason. You may not like the reason, but denial does not make it go away.

7) And lastly, you are loved .. by someone/s. Before you act all macho and deny there is anything wrong, consider those that love you. How are they going to feel if they lose you because of something that could be have been fixed if you hadn't ignored it? Yes, guilt, if that is what it takes.

So please guys, look after yourself and your health.. because we want you around.

You cant have your cake and eat it too!

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 06:25:00 +0000

When it comes to online selling of handmade items you need to ask yourself some questions.
1) Am I prepared to work hard to promote my products and my store?
2) Am I prepared to network and potentially promote others in order to expand my reach?
3) Do I want to sell on a 'shopping site' ie ArtFire, Handmade Artists' Shop, Etsy or do I want to have my own site?
4) Am I prepared to compete with those who sell mass produced items at a way lower cost than I can make things at?

So let's take a look at each question more carefully.
1) Online selling requires you to market yourself. It is not a case of listing an item with a shoddy photo and no description and making a quick buck. Ok, sometimes someone will strike it lucky and do just that, but for the majority of handmade artisans it takes work. This is not face to face selling where the buyer can pick the item up and look at it, feel it, smell it etc. The only thing they have is your photos, your description, your measurements. Added to that is the fact that the internet is HUGE. Your buyers need to find the proverbial needle in a haystack. So you need to get your 'brand' out there, you need to inspire others to help you.. which leads us to the next question.

2) Forming a network of other online people gives you a wider reach than you could possibly have on your own. If you have a network of 30 unique people, and each of them has a network of another 30 unique people your reach is considerably expanded. The likelihood is that they will have many common connections to you though, so the more diverse your network the better your reach is. But you don't just want to promote yourself and your items to them. This will quickly be viewed as spam and you will lose connections. You need to engage your network. Share topics of interest, answer questions, and introduce them to other artisans that you find inspiring or who sell products you would buy. You will find that sometimes this promotion of others results in further promotion of you without you doing it. Don't expect it to happen every time, and if you do find that it happens, acknowledge it.. it may just lead to a new connection for your network, a new friend or a new customer.

3) Where to sell - well that will depend. Do you have the skill and time to design a website and maintain it, or the funds to pay someone to do it for you? In this case you may decide to go it alone and start your own website with its own shopping cart. This is not for the faint of heart, it can be extremely time consuming, which will mean less time for promotion and, more importantly, creation.
Your other option is to sign up to a shopping site.. or several shopping sites. The benefits of these sites is that the code work, the maintenance etc is taken care of by someone else. But it is not free (ok, some have a 'free' account, which is usually quite limited). To gain the most benefit from these sites you will need to pay.
Some sites, ArtFire, Handmade Artists' Shop, Zibbet, have a monthly fee. You pay your fee, and you can list as many items as you like for as long as you like, and you wont have to pay a fee after you sell either. The searches on these sites tends to be based on relevancy - matches to keywords.
Other sites, Etsy, MadeIt.com.au, Ebay, have listing fees. This means you pay a certain price to list your item for a certain amount of time, after which you need to pay the same fee again to relist your item. They also have a sales fee, which means you pay a percentage of the price your item sold for to the site. The percentage you pay varies, but expect it to be around 7%. These sites generally have searches that return the most recently listed items first, meaning the best way to be seen is to relist on a regular basis, paying the fee each time.

4) Now assume you have joined a selling site. Regardless of what their 'mission statement' might be, there is a major issue with most sites that sell handmade. They are know as resellers. These are people who buy ready made items in bulk really cheap, then sell them on. In the case of sites such as ArtFire and Etsy, they are supposed to be against the Terms of Service. These are meant to be sites that have Handmade Items, Vintage Items and Commercial Supplies... not mass produced finished pieces. But they are a fact of life for the online handmade seller.
There are sites that are 100% handmade, namely a site such as Handmade Artists' Shop, which is relatively new.
But here is the catch - you can have lots of traffic and compete in a really saturated marketplace with resellers, or you can have lower traffic, but not have to compete with the mass produced items being in the same marketplace. Most of the bigger sites are more interested in the money they make from sellers than the integrity of their 'mission statements'.

Nothing is perfect in life, and the same goes for online selling of handmade items. There are pros and cons for every option, every site, every situation. You, as the artisan looking to put yourself into this marketplace, need to weigh up for yourself what is right for you... and remember that even if the grass looks greener on the other side.. its probably a trick of the light.

Sunday Shopping Spree - June 12th 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sun, 12 Jun 2011 07:00:00 +0000

Next Sunday is Father's Day for some of the world (Australia celebrates this in September), so in the spirit of this my Sunday Shopping Spree post (yes, it went on hiatus) is about a Father, who is also an artisan.

Chris Newcomb is a father of three, IT guy and all around nice fellow who happens to work with wood, and polymer clay, and acrylic. I first met Chris via Plurk (yes, it really is evil and addicting) and then he joined the Smooshers. He had begun to combine his scrollsawing skills with polymer clay to create some really unique items. In recent times he has turned to lathing, creating gorgeous pens, nib holders, seam rippers, razors and other items using wood and acrylic.
So let's go window shopping in his studio on ArtFire - C. Newcomb's Woodworking.

You can see lots more at C. Newcomb's Woodworking on ArtFire. And to all the Dads out there - have a great day next Sunday.

Pens on Parade

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 10 Jun 2011 10:05:00 +0000

To celebrate Ballpoint Pen Day.

Pens on Parade

Curated By: HaffinaCreati...

ArtFire.com

Handmade Jewelry

Customer Relations.

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:01:00 +0000

This week is National Business Etiquette week, so it seemed a good time to have a look at one of the most important aspects of online selling - Customer Service.
For Handmade artisans interacting with your customers is one of the joys. The connection is much more personal than buying from the online giants. However it can also be one of the most stressful aspects.
When it comes down to it, you are the only one everything will fall back on. You are the designer, maker, financier and shipper.. all issues end up at your feet. Most of the time nothing will go wrong, but every now and then something will go in an unexpected way. No matter how careful you are there are some things you cannot control. One of the most obvious ones is Shipping. You hand your precious package to the post office and hope they do their job properly... and sometimes parcels go missing.
Obviously your customer is not going to be happy. Some will be quite pragmatic, expecting that sometimes things will go astray. These customers are generally quite easy to deal with, which tends to make you feel more amenable to refunds or replacements. Unfortunately sometimes you will end up with a customer who never seems to be satisfied. This will make you feel stressed, or angry, or even doubt that you should be selling online. This is due to the personal connection of selling your creations online. However, you need to remember that the issue is more likely to be the customer, especially if you have been reasonable in your dealings with them.
Sometimes your items will be delivered in an unfortunate state. Sometimes this will be due to lack of care with packaging.. but often it is that the parcel was handled roughly. Something to consider - if your item goes as a parcel it will be dumped into a bin with all the other parcels of various sizes and weights - will your packaging survive a 20kg box landing on it from a height? Or a postal worker accidentally stepping on it? This is how most parcels get damaged, so think about this when packaging items, especially if they are fragile. Writing fragile on the box does not ensure it will be treated gently.
How you handle your normally quite reasonably upset customers will matter..a lot. A seller who works with their customers will earn goodwill. A seller who refuses to accept any fault or attempt to find a solution will lose goodwill. Word of mouth is alive and well on the internet.. in fact the internet makes it far easier to spread the word far and wide about bad customer service, and the same is true of good service.
Make sure that when negotiating with your customer that you do not allow your rights to be neglected. Take the time to think about what you are prepared to do in different circumstances, and put them in your policies. You can reserve the right to change these policies depending on the situation, but do not put yourself in the position of 'doing anything' to satisfy your customer. Sometimes, no matter what you do, you will not end up with a happy customer and will most likely end up out of pocket quite a bit.
Be realistic, be reasonable. Think about how you would like to be treated as a customer, and offer that customer service to your customers.

When being Blue is awesome!

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Thu, 26 May 2011 09:04:00 +0000

Here we are again with another HAF blog ring post. This week's featured HAF member is lisianblue. I have 'known' Kris, the creative goddess behind lisianblue, for a while now and I have to say she is a really lovely lady. And she is super talented!
She works with a lot of different materials, including yarn and glass. Her glass creations are some of my absolute favourites. So let's take a look at some of her creations.

Just amazing artistry. Check out lisianblue on ArtFire for more of her creations, and take a look at her great blog for lots of great posts.

Tis a pity yarn isn't Edible!

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 20 May 2011 06:54:00 +0000

A weird title I agree, however in this case I think it is entirely appropriate. This is my post for this week's featured member on the HAF blog ring. This time around it is the delightful Gina from Dahlish Knits.. and let me tell you, her work really is 'dahlish'!
Dahlish Knits can be found on the recently upgraded Handmade Artists' Shop, and her store includes such treasures as these...

So drop by Dahlish Knits on Handmade Artists' Shop and don't forget to check out her blog as well, for lots of cool posts.

The Jewelry Geek

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Tue, 17 May 2011 11:36:00 +0000

I was very slack last week when it came to the HAF blog ring. This was mainly due to a horror week at home with kids and gastro..erk. However last week I was actually the featured member, and so in the tradition of the blog ring I will do a blog post on the featured member from the second blog ring list. This happens to be a fellow jewellery maker known as The Jewelry Geek.
Talent behind this store is Kristin, a Navy wife and mother of a little boy, who has been making jewellery for 15 years. She has a store on Etsy which features her lovely pieces. She also has a blog where is features other artisans. So let's take a look at some of her great creations....

This is a lovely fresh looking bracelet, with some wonderful sparkle.

It's purple and it has a butterfly! She must have been thinking about me when she created this one! :P

I really like this piece, it has interesting shapes and angles.

What a lovely sunny piece, perfect for summer!

All these wonderful pieces and more can be found at The Jewelry Geek on Etsy.. check her out!

Baby, You're Beautiful.

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Fri, 06 May 2011 11:45:00 +0000

It is time for another HAF member to receive the Haffina treatment as part of our current blog ring.
This week it is the wonderful Sandi from IKnitQuiltSew. She creates wonderful items, especially for babies! Let me show you some of my favourite pieces from her Etsy shop.

I reckon my daughter would love this doll!

These would have been great when my boys were little! Maybe for a grandson instead LOL!

I wish I had had these when my daughter was a baby! They are gorgeous!

Now this one was obviously made with me in mind!!

I love quilts, and having once started a quilt, that never got finished, I have enormous respect for anyone who makes them!
There are lots more wonderful items to see, so go check out IKnitQuiltSew for yourself!

Intentional Inspiration.

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sat, 30 Apr 2011 10:18:00 +0000

It is time for me to introduce you to another member of the HAF community as part of our weekly blog ring, and this week my ~~victim~~ guest is someone new to me and this blog. Intentional Stones is the name of the studio and is a collaborative work between two women, Mina and Simbelmynë. Together they create wonderful pieces of jewellery with a focus on gemstones and silver.
I went for a little wonder through their ArtFire studio and found some delightful examples of their creations. Let me show you just a taste...

Lovely pieces indeed. There are more to see in their studio, plus if you visit their dot com you can find links to their twitter, blog and facebook!

TRusk4U - Creations to please.

noreply@blogger.com (Haffina Creations) — Sat, 23 Apr 2011 11:44:00 +0000

It is week three of the HAF blogring, and it is time for another ~~victim~~ guest. This week we are going to revisit someone I visited last year, TRusk4U. Teresa is the talent behind the name, and not only is she a wonderful jewellery maker, she is also a lovely, giving lady. Members of the HAF community would be aware of the wonderful gesture she made during our recent sorrow.
Teresa has a well stocked store on Etsy, filled with delightful creations that cater to many tastes and budgets. Let's take a look at just a few.

I love these earrings, they would be like wearing spring on your ears!

Elegant simplicity.. absolutely gorgeous!

Juicy and Fruity.. perfect for summer!

Simple, elegant and very classy!

That is just a very small sample of her lovely pieces. Get yourself along to TRusk4U on Etsy to see even more!